


Shining Silver (DEArtfest Day 4 - Proposal)

by Lallygo



Series: Lallygo's DEArtfest [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: DEArtfest, Gavin Reed Needs a Hug, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has Feelings, Worry, seriously it was 2:45 am when I finished
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:28:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25070125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lallygo/pseuds/Lallygo
Summary: “Gavin, when we get home, I would like to ask you something… very important.”-That was the statement that set off a hundred worries in Gavin Reed's mind. Will he get over his fear, or run away from yet another relationship just as he was getting comfortable?
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: Lallygo's DEArtfest [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858606
Comments: 1
Kudos: 69





	Shining Silver (DEArtfest Day 4 - Proposal)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in Google Docs from 12-3 am since it was technically Day 4. I write the weirdest stuff at midnight. Enjoy my trash.

“Gavin, when we get home, I would like to ask you something… very important.”

Gavin looked up from his monitor. It was almost time to go home, and it had been a long, uneventful day, so he was looking forward to it. “Uh, yeah? What?”

“I will not tell you now,” Nines simply said. “But I just wanted to let you know.” He was being quiet and vague, getting back to work as quickly as he could.

Gavin frowned. For a moment, a thought - a scary one - passed through his mind. He saw something shining silver in the corner of his eye and felt something brush against his finger. He moved onto other terrible thoughts, not wanting to linger on that one any longer than he had to.

To be honest, Gavin had never seen himself ever committing to someone for the rest of his life. He figured he’d stay single for as long as possible. Although he was approaching his 40s quicker than he’d expected - and the idea of being someone’s husband seemed more appealing. Especially someone like Nines. They’d been dating for a few years now. He didn’t know how long it usually took people to get married, but he guessed that they were getting there.

Every few nights he would think about it again. It started with one, tiny, terrifying thought -  _ You may now kiss each other _ . But then, after a few goes, that didn’t seem so scary. So he pushed himself a little more - theoretically, what would the ceremony even look like? Theoretically, what would they wear? Theoretically, who would they invite? Until he forgot the  _ theoretically _ . It flowed from a scary thought, to comfortable dreams, to potential ideas, to…

Plans.

Plans he went over every night, making it just a little more detailed. He could, by now, imagine the playful arguments.  _ Did you get cat hair on your suit? Really, darling? _ He didn’t know many guys he’d want as a best man, so he decided on Tina being his… groomsmaid? Was that a word? He didn’t care, and he guessed Tina would take delight in being the first groomsmaid, at a gay, android/human, wedding.

Wedding. That was only half of the problem. The stress of a wedding was bad enough, but the commitment behind it was catastrophic. He shivered at the thought. Sharing your things with someone else? A promise to be with each other, through sickness and health? Was that something he could do? Could he take care of Nines? What if it ended up being Nines, constantly taking care of him through his dark times?

Could he live with himself, for putting his love through that?

He shook his head violently, bringing himself out of his thoughts. It was probably just,  _ Do you want to get another cat? _ or some easy shit like that.

“Are you alright?” Nines asked, pitch just a little higher than usual with worry.

“Y-yeah,” Gavin sighed, although a scowl still stained his face. He clenched his fists into his jacket a little. “I’m fine.”

But his mind was elsewhere for the rest of the day.

-

The car journey home had been quiet. Nines was trying to engage him, cheer him up.

“So, you were recommending that television show, White Collar?”

“Mm…” Gavin flitted from reality back to his imagination, trying to ground himself in the real world and not worry about it. Nines would never propose to  _ him _ . And he wanted it, anyway! He had been  _ dreaming _ about this… so why was it so terrible? He thought he could feel butterflies in his stomach - but by now they were more like bats, shrieking at him to stop.

Gavin walked into his own apartment like he was walking into a prison cell.

“Alright… sit down. I’ll be right there,” Nines smiled softly.

“Okay.” Gavin wanted this. He wanted - no, he couldn’t say it, not yet. But he knew this  _ was _ what he wanted. He just had to stop overthinking things. It would all be fine, it would -

“Gavin, you are the love of my life.”

Shit. It was happening. His heart sped up even faster than he thought was possible. He thought that if he looked down, he might actually see it beating in his chest. Blood rushed to his head as part of his fight or flight response - telling him to run.

“And I realise that this is a lot…” Nines walked in front of Gavin. “That is why I will give you as much time as you want to decide, and why I decided to do this at home. I… thought you might be more comfortable here,” he explained quietly, eyes to the side.

Gavin had never seen Nines so nervous. “Yeah… thanks,” he mumbled, more sarcastic than he had meant to sound.

“It would mean so, so much to me if you would promise to be with me always. I take great joy in being the one who you feel comfortable with, and -”

“But what if - what if I do something wrong?” Gavin interrupted. “What if you end up taking care of me? I - I can’t live with that kind of guilt, knowing that I’m the one benefiting from this!” he whined.

Nines frowned sadly. “I love being the one to take care of you. You brought me purpose, and I must repay that. I know I never can, but seeing you happy is the most wonderful feeling to me.”

“I…” Gavin trailed off, taken aback. “You actually  _ like _ taking care of me?” he asked, disbelieving.

“Yes,” Nines insisted, exasperated. “I love you, and I love the accomplishment of calming you down. Some must gain peace through others helping them, and some must gain peace through helping  _ others _ . I am of the latter and you are of the former. Our relationship is symbiotic - without this balance, neither would survive.”

Gavin melted. He tried to hold back tears as the reality of the situation sank in. He stared down at his lap, overwhelmed by emotion. Was this really true? Did Nines love him  _ that much _ ?

“Gavin Reed…” Nines kneeled down in front of him.

Gavin looked up, gazing into Nines’s eyes. The world was spinning, but those eyes held him in place.

Nines pulled a small box from his pocket. He opened it, long fingers brushing soft velvet. Inside was a simple, shining silver ring. A single indent was made in the metal for a tiny blue crystal. He didn’t care about the ring. It was nothing but a symbol - a talisman not quite reaching the meaning behind it.

“Will you marry me?”

Gavin covered his mouth with the palm of his hand. He had known the words were coming, but that didn’t make them any less of a surprise. Time stood still in a surreal experience. And finally, with Nines right here in front of him, the answer seemed obvious.

“Yes, god, yes,” he whispered, reaching out.

Nines took his hand, fidgeting with the ring in the box a little and chuckling quietly when the box rolled under the sofa, leaving the ring in his hand. He slipped it onto Gavin’s finger. “Well… I think we are supposed to kiss now.”

“Y-yeah, no kidding,” Gavin grinned, still stuttering with tears clouding his vision. 

He felt time start to catch up with itself again - moving fast, fluidly, and beautifully. Strong, safe arms wrapped around him. He found himself gripping back, closing his eyes and letting himself into the embrace. Their lips locked together - gentle yet desperate. There was nothing else to say. Their sweet moment together said it all effortlessly.

-

That night, as Gavin and Nines lay in bed, Gavin couldn’t help but look at the ring on his finger. It struck him, just how much he’d been overthinking it. There was no need to worry about a ceremony, or a groomsmaid, or what they’d wear. Now - right  _ now _ \- they were in love. 

“Hey, babe?” Gavin murmured.

“Yes?”

“Love you,” he said, rolling so his head was at Nines’s shoulder.

“I love you,” Nines replied, adjusting his arm to rest on Gavin’s lower back. “Goodnight. Sweet dreams, fiancè,” he added.

“Mmm… night, finance,” Gavin mumbled, drifting into sleep.

“Finance?” Nines laughed quietly.

“Yeah, fiancè, whatever… ‘m tired, French words not possible,” he giggled. “Night.”

Nines said nothing, but sighed, and kissed Gavin on the head before turning out the light.

**Author's Note:**

> writing trash about gavin's fears is my way of sorting out my own shit
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3


End file.
